PM signs letter of financial demand for railway connectivity with CARs

ISLAMABAD: Advisor to Prime Minister for Commerce and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood on Tuesday informed that the Prime Minister signed a letter for a joint approach with Afghanistan and Uzbekistan for asking international financial agencies to finance the railway from Pakistan to Uzbekistan through Afghanistan.

This fits well with our vision for trade and connectivity through Afghanistan to the Central Asia Republics (CARS), the Advisor tweeted.

The Adviser Trade agreements with Afghanistan, currently under progress, would be followed by similar agreements with Uzbekistan, he said adding, he would likely to visit Uzbekistan in January next.

He said it would open doors for increasing exports. He said, “We have already allowed Afghanistan to use Gwadar for their transit trade as the same was demanded by the Central Asian States to connect them with Gwadar port in near future.”

Dawood said Pakistan has agreed to provide opportunities to Afghanistan trade items through Gwadar and Bin Qasim Ports in a good gesture to enhance the economic ties.

He said Afghanistan was ready to connect the regional countries with Central Asian States and that Pakistan and Afghanistan could play a major role through their geographical location.

In a recent trade dialogue, Pakistan and Afghanistan were mainly focusing on transit, bilateral and informal trade issues through the agenda of shared prosperity and peace, he said.

The Adviser said increase in trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan would maximize chances of regional economic integration and enhance the connectivity among neighboring countries.

Razak Dawood said both the countries agreed to keep the shared vision, its commitments, and previous commitments under regular review, to ensure measurable, clear and irreversible steps towards more productive economic and trade relations between them.

He said there was huge potential to enhance bilateral and transit trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan and in recent years both sides were negotiating the common agenda of peace prosperity and regional harmony.